| Hebron Cemetery Association "The following is copied from the By-laws, Rules and Regulations of the Hebron Cemetery Association printed in 1872. It may not be improper in connection with the publishing of the organization of the Hebron Cemetery and its by-laws, to give a brief sketch of the settlement of the town and of some of the old graveyards. The Town of Hebron when first settled was known as Black Creek, and was organized March 23rd, 1785, and named Hebron from Hebron, Connecticut. It was first settled about the year 1769 or 1770 by David Wheadon, Joseph Hamilton and Robert Creighton. Wheadon settled on the farm owned by Silas Boynton in 1782. (1976 owners and residents are Grace and Betty Ensign). Hamilton settled on the farm owned by by Joseph Crosier in 1782, (1976 owner and resident is Viola Fulwood). Both of these places are located on Rt. 22 in East Hebron, Creighton settled on the farm owned by Thomas White in 1782. (1976 owner and resident is Myrtle White Barkley, a descendant of Thomas White). This farm is located at the corner of Scott's Lake Road and the Chamberlin's Mill Road. In 1771 Joseph Hamilton and Robert Wilson came up from Connecticut and purchased 1,000 acres of Campbell's Patent, which lays between Chamberlin's Mills and the Old Turnpike (Route 22); and in 1772 they moved up with a number of other families, among whom were the Hamiltons, Tyrells four families of Wilson's and David Hopkins. The town has a broad mountainous range through it's centre, and a range of high hills extends through its eastern and western parts, which naturally divided up the early settlers into several neighborhoods, having but little intercourse with each other. The north and east parts were settled by residents of the New England States, and the south and west by Protestant Scotch and Irish of the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches. A proper respect for the dead seems to have prevailed in each of the communities, as they early set apart suitable grounds for a public grave yard, and many families not living convenient to public grounds set apart family yards, so that at this time (1872) there are four public and more than thirty private grave yards in the town. The first grave-yard set apart in the town, was the one a little west of the present residence of S.M. Ingersoll (1976 owner and resident Peter Sedgewick) on the old road leading from Salem to Whitehall. (TipLady Cemetery west of East Hebron Hill.) In accordance with the New England ideas of the first settlers, this place was selected on a high piece of ground as the site for a church. The church was finally built about one and a half miles north. The first person that died in town, that we have any record of, was Thomas Wilson, who died Dec. 13th, 1773, and was buried in this yard. David Wheadon who was born in 1771, was the first child born in town; he died Nov. 1st, 1831, and was buried here. This yard has been used from that time to the present, and many of the first settlers are buried in it. It has quite a number of respectable monuments and has been well cared for, and is now enclosed with a substantial four foot wall. The yard at North Hebron was set apart at an early day. It contains a number of good monuments, is well cared for, and kept in good condition. The yard at Belcher has not been as well taken care of, still it is in fair condition and contains some fine monuments and head stones. Some of the private yards in town have been well taken care of, particularly the one at the Methodist Church, and that of the Braymer family in the north-east part of town which is enclosed with a substantial wall and contains a number of fine monuments. The others are mostly in bad condition, being grown up with bushes and briars and without fences, and in many cases there are no relatives living in town to look after them. SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE OLD GRAVE-YARD This yard is located on Lot No. 13 of Campbell's Patent, which lot with others were sequestered by the State on account of the treason of Duncan Campbell, the owner. A part of this yard set apart for burial purposes, as family ground, by Joshua Rogers the then owner. From the best information to be obtained, a man by the name of George McClure was the first person buried in this yard, and the coffin was made by Peter Stevens, Esq. The first headstone erected was for a son of Thomas Rogers, who died in 1798. The next were those of James Crosett, 1802 and Jennette Getty, 1803. In the year 1799, Robert McClellan, Thomas Rogers, George McKnight and others, seeing the necessity of a public burying ground, purchased one-half an acre of land of Joshua Rogers including the piece he had already set apart for family ground. This ground was used in common by the public, but was principally occupied by the members of the Associate and Associate Reformed Presbyterian Societies, whose church was located on the south and west parts of the town. In the year 1822, this yard became so filled that it became necessary to make some further provision for burials, and the Trustees, William McClellan, James Foster, and Joshua Rogers circulated a subscription paper to raise the necessary funds for the purpose of purchasing additional grounds and fencing the same. A sufficient amount being subscribed, an additional half-acre was purchased from Mr. Rogers, and a substantial half wall with posts and board top was built around the whole ground. In 1858, it became necessary to repair the fence around the yard and a subscription paper was circulated by Benjamin Rogers and James A. Getty, trustees, to raise the necessary funds. A sufficient amount being subscribed a substantial four foot wall was built around the whole yard which is now in good condition. In the year 1860, the old yard having become so file that it became difficult to dig graves without disturbing the remains of those already buried, and families could no longer bury their deceased friends together, it became necessary to procure some additional grounds for burial purposes, and there being none joining the old yard, an effort was made to purchase a piece on the opposite side of the highway as a place well adapted for burial purposes, and the laying out of the cemetery, but the owner refused to sell it on any terms, and the matter was dropped. In 1866, it was ascertained that the site on the opposite side of the highway, containing about seven acres, could be obtained for a cemetery for $1,000, and a paper was circulated to see if sufficient amount could be raised to warrant making the purchase and to lay out the grounds, and fence it, and $2,200 was subscribed, which sum was thought to be sufficient to warrant making the purchase. A meeting was then called at the Academy in West Hebron to take the subject into consideration, and to take the necessary steps to perfect the organization, At this meeting there were two other sites for a cemetery proposed, and it was thought best to appoint a committee to examine all the proposed sites and ascertain on what terms they could be obtained and their adaptation for the purposes wanted, the committee to report at an adjourned meeting in two weeks. The committee were notified by the chairman to meet before the expiration of the adjournment, and a fourth locality named for their consideration. From the great diversity of opinion manifested in relation to the different sites, the committee were unable to agree on any site and never made a report, and the whole business bade fair to prove a failure. But some of those who first started the movement, and were in favor of the site selected opposite the old yard, were not to be discouraged, and as they had friends and relatives buried there, and could not entertain the idea of building up a cemetery at another point, and leave their graves uncared for, and the yard to grow up with bushes and briars as is the case when they have ceased to be used. In consideration of the above reasons, it was thought best by those in favor of this locality for a cemetery, to see if sufficient funds could be raised to proceed with the work. A subscription paper was drawn up and circulated by Hon. S.E. Spoor, Wm. I. McClellan and Joshua J. Rogers, and $2,000 was readily obtained, which was thought to be sufficient to warrant the undertaking. A meeting was called at the house of Benjamin Rogers, August 25th, 1866, for the purpose of forming a Cemetery Association, and, as there were but few present at the meeting, it was resolved to adjourn to meet at the school house in District No. 11, Dec. 22, 1866 at 10 o'clock A.M. Adjourned Meeting At an adjourned meeting held at the school in District No. 11, in Hebron Dec. 22nd, 1866, for the purpose of forming a Cemetery Association in accordance with an act passed by Legislature April 27th, 1847, the following citizens were present, viz.: Mathew Beveridge, Nathaniel T. Munson, Sylvester E. Spoor, Benjamin Rogers, William S. McClellan, James J. Nelson, Joshua J. Rogers, William Beveridge, James A. McConnell, William J. Beattie, James H. Beattie and Asa E. Munson. Mathew Beveridge was chosen Chairman and Asa E. Munson, Secretary. On motion of S.E. Spoor: Resolved, That the name of this Association shall be the HEBRON CEMETERY ASSOCIATION On motion of Benjamin Rogers: Resolved, that we elect nine trustees. On motion of Benjamin Rogers: Resolved that we proceed to an election of trustees. When the following persons were duly elected, viz.: James J. Nelson, James A. McConnell, Asa E. Munson, William Beveridge, William J. McClellan, John M. Rea, S.E. Spoor, Joshua J. Rogers, George Rea. The cemetery was opened for burials on the 30th of Nov. 1867, and the first person buried was Myron E. Broughton, a soldier of the 30th Regiment N.Y. Vols., who was buried Jan. 3d, 1868, since which time there has been 25 original burials and 35 removals from other grounds." |
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